He stands accused of using Rs. 5.7 million meant towards the preservation of places of tourism-importance for holding Dansels during the last Uva provincial council polls.
The suspect was produced before Colombo Fort magistrate Lanka Jayaratne today (23).
Two other employees of the Authority, Nilmini Nanayakkara and Mervyn Fernandopulle, too have been remanded until August 25.
The attorney general had instructed the FCID to arrest Ranawaka and four other directors of the Authority on a charge of approving Rs. five million to Muruttettuwe Ananda Thera’s ‘Pevidi Handa’ to a hold a Bodhi Pooja a day before the last presidential elections.
However, they could not be arrested due to pressure exerted by the prime minister’s office, as it has been employing one of the accused, Hema Premawardena, as a senior official.
Others to be arrested were ex-chairman of the Authority Bhaswara Gunaratne, former director general Dr. D.S. Jayaweera and directors Ranasinghege Semasinghe and Don Chandrasiri.
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